AN incomplete picture of the cost of health treatment for prisoners has emerged after a question was asked about it in the House of Keys last week.
In a question for written answer, Zac Hall (LibVan, Onchan) asked Health Minister David Anderson MHK how much was spent on the provision of health services to prisoners each financial year between 2003/04 and 2010/11.
He also asked how much was spent on Methadone and the treatment of addiction to banned substances in those years.
Mr Anderson explained that providing healthcare to prisoners moved from the responsibility of the Department of Home Affairs to the Department of Health in 2008 with the move to the new prison.
He said that in 2006/07 the DHA spent £144,317 on prisoner healthcare and £85,264 the following year. In 2008/09 the DoH spent £305,500, in 2009/10 it was £322,000 and in 2010/11 it was £267,832.
Explaining why the costs had risen so sharply in recent years he said there had been a ‘very considerable increase’ in the healthcare resources dedicated to prisoners as a result of a prison inspection report in 2006.
But Mr Anderson said the DHA was unable, within the time given, to provide figures for the first two years requested.
He also said missing from the totals was the cost of mental health services, which are provided by the Department of Social Care.
Addiction
And Mr Anderson went on to say that figures for the amount spent on Methadone and the treatment of drug addiction were not obtainable in the given timeframe because treatment takes place in a number of settings, including via GPs, mental health nurses, the Drug and Alcohol Team, psychiatry and psychology.
‘Extracting the requested costs from the various areas would be a protracted process,’ said Mr Anderson, offering Mr Hall a comprehensive briefing on the subject if he contacted his department.